Hi,
You can release the latch and lift the door with armstrong power.
What I did was I got a small u clamp, spliced broken spring coil
stretching it out. Then rewind it.... Once ready to work on it, close
the door and replace spring(s) .. There are many you tube video help
if you look around. Remember safety priority one!!!

I've pulled the release mechanism.
But the cables that run from the bottom of both sides of the garage door jumped off the pulleys on the horizontal bar above the door.
How can I raise the door without lifting the weight of the entire door?

Is your car in the garage? Regardless. you're best off having a
garage door repair outfit replace the spring.
Shouldn't cost much.
But to answer your question, if it's a heavy wood door, forget it.
Too dangerous without 4-6 beefy guys.
If it a metal door, one or two strong guys.
The cables aren't stopping it. Its the weight of the door.

If you have something sturdy to stand on, you can do it after watching a
few YouTube videos. I paid $60 for a spring, and $6.50 for a pair of
"winding bars". I think you want something "better than a ladder" to do
it in the safest way possible. Ideally, a platform you can stand on with
both feet. The satisfaction from doing it myself was worth more than
the $100+ I saved. I guess that's why we visit these forums; because we
don't want to go through life dependent on someone else for every little
problem that comes our way. I wore a facemask while I wound the spring,
and though it may not have been necessary, I would wear one again if I
did it a second time. Good luck!
Bill

The important thing is to make sure that your face and body are not in
the same plane as the handles you use to turn the winding cone. I used
a step ladder when I replaced mine last year, placed a couple feet away
from the cone. Still used safety equipment, of course, which included
work lights.
Jon

What does the platform have to do with my question about the face mask?
I'll ask my question a bit differently...
I assume you wore a face mask to protect yourself against something hitting
you in the face while you were winding the spring. What specifically did
you think might hit you in your face and do you know if the face mask was
rated for the force that that object might have exerted?

Actually, in my old house, with a double wood door (1972 vintage), when
the spring broke, my wife and I were able to grunt up the door. The
hardest part is really the 1st few inches. I think I used a pry bar and
stuck a 2x4 under. Then we were able to get our fingers under it. The
higher the door goes, the lighter it becomes, which is good because, as
it goes higher, you are lifting above you head. I know we did this more
than once over the years. And, if you have 3 people, it would be much
easier. Of course, you door may be heavier.

Since you said "spring" and not "springs" you might be able to horse
it up. I know there is no lifting my 150 MPH wind code door without
the springs (both of them)
You install the springs with the door down tho. Then you wind them up
with 2 steel rods, alternately inserted in the windlass holes (about a
1/4 turn at a time). The trick is getting the tension so the door goes
up easily and still goes all the way down.
Be sure you buy the right spring or you will not be able to find this
sweet spot.

You can't. That is what the spring is for.
You will just have to struggle and prop it up if you need to get car out.
Normally spring(s) is/are replaced with door shut and then tensioned up with
a tool.
Same tool for de-tensioning. Be very careful not to get your fingers
trapped.
Read instruction book. Very often tension is not the way/direction you
expect.
There are usually two springs so be careful.
The door may jam due to unequal forces.

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